UPJE: Most pharmacy law educators have heard of it, but support remains divided

Background

Most states require pharmacists to successfully pass the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) required by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to obtain licensure as a pharmacist, though pass rates for the MPJE have declined in recent years. Meanwhile, NABP is pursing efforts to standardize the exam with the emergent Uniform Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (UPJE).

Objective

This study aimed to describe the current thinking of pharmacy law educators across the US on the UPJE.

Methods

The Pharmacy Law Educators Subcommittee of the American Society of Pharmacy Law (ASPL) surveyed pharmacy law educators across US pharmacy programs to characterize their current thinking on UPJE in May 2024.

Results

Of 78 educators that responded (61 % response rate), most had heard of the UPJE, while support for it was divided. Portability of licensure was an opportunity frequently identified, though on the other hand, an inability to assess state-specific law variations leading to potential concerns and about practice-readiness, was a common challenge noted.

Conclusions

Whether widespread adoption of the UPJE will be successful is unknown, but pharmacy law educators will still need to effectively teach both federal and state law, balancing licensure preparation with practice-readiness, and organizations leading these efforts must use data to inform their policy decisions.